Have you ever come across the remains of the old bandstand and hidden summer house?
The lost summer house is certainly one of Roundhay Park’s best hints at the park’s heritage from centuries gone by – but finding it will require a trip off the beaten path…
The forgotten bandstand and summer house date way back to the 1800s and were once part of the Roundhay Lodge. It is thought that the lodge was owned by Elmer Hall, built originally by the park owner the Nicholson Family before being sold on to famous Leeds engineer James Kitson.
People report that this was the place where the Kitson family would host musical bands hired to perform concerts. Although the area is overgrown today, it’s still a fascinating piece of Leeds history that’s well worth a visit.
How to find the Lost Summer House at Roundhay Park…
The location of the lost summer house has been carefully kept secret from the internet since its location was first found, and we’re not going to be the ones that spoil the secret – but it doesn’t mean we can’t give you some hints
There’s a few different ways you can find the summer house – and given there’s 700-acres of land to sift through, here’s a few very rough ideas we’ve tried and tested or heard down the grapevine as successful ways of finding the hidden beauty spot…
- Find the golf boundary by the lower lake and walk directly upwards, following the boundary off the track and into a wooded area, it’s about 15 minutes away from the main lake
- Enter from the car park off Wetherby Road and stick to the left-hand-side of the path, you’ll come across the bandstand after 20-30 minutes (just as you think you want to give up, it appears)
- Follow Google Maps coordinates: 53 50 5.31N 1 29 17.46W to find the exact location
- Type into Google Maps to find the Victorian Summer House (although this doesn’t always work if you’re not already in the park’s vicinity)
Good luck!
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To find out more about Leeds history, check out our Short Stuff series on TikTok and Instagram.
Feature Image – The Hoot Leeds
